Noctuidae - Acontiinae

 

 

 

Ponometia erastrioides (Guenée)

Acontia erastrioides Guenée, 1852, Histoire Naturelle des Insectes. Species General des Lépidoptéres, 6:218.

Diagnosis: Ponometia erastrioides is primarily white in coloration. The basal, antemedial, medial, and postmedial lines are represented by gray streaks on the costa. The orbicular is a small, black dot. The outer half of the forewing contrains a bent, triangular gray-black blotch. The postmedial line is darker and visible within this dark area, but not contrastingly so. The terminal area is white. The fringe is primarily white, but contains scattered dark patches within it. The thorax is white. Forewing expanse in one selected individual from base to apex --- mm.

Distribution: (Based only on specimens in the USNM). Ponometia erastrioides is common and occurs throughout the eastern half of the United States and southeastern Canada. It has also been collection in the Phoenix, Arizona region. This species feeds on weedy composite species. It will likely eventually spread throughout the metropolitan regions of the United States

Identification Quality: Good

Larva: The larva has been described by Crumb, 1956, U.S. Dept. Agric. Tech. Bull. 1135:51:

Foodplants: Ambrosia sp., Arctium lappa (Asteraceae) (HOSTS - a Database of the World's Lepidopteran Hostplants, Natural History Museum)

Distribution map based on specimens in the USNM

 

Ponometia erastrioides

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